By Cherisa Harris
Paying homage to the way Christmas was 200 years ago in England, The Lord of Misrule is an irreverent, interactive experience written by RJ Walker. The casual atmosphere of the Wasatch Theatre Company Black Box Theatre located at The Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City quickly welcomes you into a relaxed atmosphere. Walker starts the show sitting on a couch onstage drinking beer, welcoming each audience member as they enter, and giving instructions for this nontraditional production.
The show starts with the character The Lord of Misrule (played by Walker), accompanied by the page of misrule (played by Cantona Toby) explaining that we have entered a televangelist healing program with the corrupt Pastor Karol (played by Dylan Sharp), and we are about to witness the Pastor perform bogus miracles to entice donations, which he pockets for his own purposes. The audience takes on the role of the drunken mobs who used to elect a hobo to become “The Lord of Misrule” to wreak havoc. Using brute force and intimidation, our Lord of Misrule and his page hijack the show from Pastor Karol. Audience members can use cards placed under their seats combined with a donation to The Road Home Shelter to torment and torture Pastor Karol, his wife (played by Comet Higley), and the rest of the cast, (played by Bailey Martin and Alton Phonepraeuth). Pastor Karol and his crew are forced to continue their production of the infamous Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, while dealing with instructions such as, acting like a cowboy, say all of your lines with a high-pitched voice, and eat a habanero pepper.
The Lord of Misrule isn’t the show you take your kids or your grandma to, with violence (choreographed by AJ Neuschwander), R-rated language, suggestive humor, and alcohol consumption from the audience and cast throughout the production. Bring your buddies though, as the hilarious twists from audience interaction create laugh out loud moments you’ll want to share with your best friends.
Original music, sound design, lighting (by Michael Fewkes), and an overall low-budget, fringe theatre experience, come together to not only create an amusing evening, but a surprisingly poignant message that will have you walking away with a smile and a changed heart.
This experimental kind of theatre is new, messy, and actually makes a difference. The Lord of Misrule produced by the Wasatch Theatre Company is an evening of laughter, drama, and awareness of an issue that is a real problem in our community. You’ll want to donate just to participate and enjoy the show more, and you won’t regret that choice once you feel the message.
Wasatch Theatre Company presents The Lord of Misrule, by RJ Walker.
WTC Black Box, 124 400 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
December 6-7, 13-14, 2019 7:00 PM
Tickets: www.wtcblackbox.com or can be purchased there. $5
The Box Facebook Page
The Road Home Facebook Page
The Lord of Misrule Facebook Event
Audience members are encouraged to bring cash for donations, but cards and Venmo are also accepted for Road Home donations. In-Kind donations will be accepted here. If you’d like to make an In-Kind donation, the following things are needed. Urgent Needs: Pillows (new), Towels, Coats and Jackets (all sizes), Jeans and Warm clothing (all sizes), Boots and Shoes (all sizes), Socks (all sizes), Underwear (new, all sizes), Blankets (twin, full, and queen), Diapers (sizes 5-6, and pull-ups), Baby Bottles and Formula
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